FanDuel reached an agreement with the Jacksonville Jaguars to pay them $5 million in an effort to resolve a matter involving a former team employee.
Amit Patel, a former finance employee of the Jaguars, stole over $20 million from the team and used the money to fund a gambling and spending habit. Patel was sentenced in March 2024 to 6.5 years in a federal prison in Alabama for wire fraud and illegal monetary transaction. He was moved to a Duval County jail in July when he faced a charge of organized fraud.
The Jaguars were seeking to recover some of the stolen funds and sued Patel in 2024 for $66.6 million in damages. The team in October sued FanDuel, alleging that the sports betting company took advantage of Patel, who had a gambling addiction.
According to a report from ESPN, FanDuel earlier this year agreed to pay the Jags $5 million. The NFL reportedly encouraged the sides to resolve matters; FanDuel is an NFL sponsor.
Patel, 32, said in an interview with CNN this year that he illegally borrowed money and had plans to repay it, but his gambling losses prevented him from doing so.
